VetFran 30th Anniversary Commemorated in U.S. House

Reps. Barry Moore, Mike Levin, introduce House Resolution honoring 30 years of VetFran’s work to connect veterans with franchise opportunities

WASHINGTON, May 24, 2022 – The International Franchise Association (IFA) and IFA Foundation today celebrated the introduction of a Resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives commemorating the 30th anniversary of the VetFran program. The resolution was introduced by Reps. Barry Moore (AL-02) and Mike Levin (CA-49) to honor VetFran’s work to educate both veterans and franchisors about the unique match between the skills and aptitude of entrepreneurial veterans and the demands and opportunities of being a franchisee.

“Franchising is a proven model that offers a new path to prosperity for our nation’s veterans entering civilian life,” said Rikki Amos, Executive Director of the IFA Foundation. “We appreciate Reps. Barry Moore and Mike Levin for recognizing the commitment of the IFA and IFA Foundation’s VetFran program and its important role in providing today’s veterans with the necessary resources and support to start their own business journey.”

“As a veteran and small business owner, I know the unique experiences and skillsets of our veterans often dovetail perfectly with the demands and opportunities of being a franchisee,” said Rep. Moore. “VetFran plays a critical role in helping veterans overcome the challenges of franchising a business, and I am proud to support this program and watch it build upon its remarkable history helping our veterans achieve business ownership after their service.”

“Veterans who have served and sacrificed for our country deserve every opportunity to become successful business owners when they return home and the VetFran program has played a critical role in providing that opportunity over the last 30 years,” said Rep. Levin. “I’m incredibly grateful for everything the VetFran program does to support our nation’s heroes and look forward to seeing their continued success over the coming years.”

VetFran was founded in 1991 as a strategic initiative of the International Franchise Association and the IFA Foundation to expand opportunities in franchising for veterans as they seek to transition from military to civilian life, as well as educate the franchise community about why the skills honed in the military match well with the demands and opportunity of being a franchisee. VetFran works with franchisors to offer discounts and incentives to veterans, as well as resources, tools, and support for veterans looking to get into franchising.

Veterans account for 14% of all franchisees in America, whereas they make up only about 7% of the U.S. population. A recent VetFran survey showed that 99% of surveyed franchisors think that veterans are a good fit as employees within their company, while an equally impressive 97% say that veterans make excellent franchisees. Seventy percent of franchisors have brought on a veteran franchisee or corporate employee in the last year alone. Read more on the unique opportunities created by franchising.

The full resolution can be read here.

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